A boy from Murrieta who was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer was given a special privilege Tuesday night when he helped open the Murrieta City Council meeting as honorary mayor.

Ben Matthews, 12, was first diagnosed with brain cancer at age 4. According to a website set up to raise funds for Ben and his family, he "kicked cancer's butt" for eight years until it returned recently. Now, according to the website, chemotherapy is "simply an option to buy time, months instead of weeks."

Ben rapped the gavel to open the city council meeting and sat at the dais as Mayor Randon Lane introduced him to the audience and showed a video of an outing last Sunday, when Ben was given a ride in a Murrieta Fire Department truck and a Sheriff's Department helicopter.

"Ben had always wanted to ride a firetruck, and thanks to the Sheriff's aviation team, he also got to ride in a helicopter," Lane said. "The outing was put together on very short notice, and it's a testament to the city and county for the way they responded."

Those wishing to contribute to the family may do so at Ben's gofundme page here. A total of $15,000 has been donated in eight days.